


Happy Birthday

by angelontheoutskirts



Series: Queen Erica [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 11:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6564718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelontheoutskirts/pseuds/angelontheoutskirts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Variel's 18th birthday, and all she wants is for a promise to be fulfilled. Takes place between Mother's love and Mother's son</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday

Variel gave a sigh of relief as she made it to her chambers. The party downstairs continued even though the guest of honor had already slipped away. As she moved further into the room she passed a looking glass and took a minute to admire the vine like pattern that sprawled across her face from cheek to temple. The ink was darker than vallaslin and the pattern wasn’t in the name of any Dalish deity but that made sense, since she wasn’t really Dalish herself. Her father, at her request, had given these to her; she loved them, seeing them as a mark of her 18th birthday, a mark that she was now a woman in her own right. The sound of feathered wings coming from the terrace told her she was no longer alone and she moved out on the balcony to greet her most welcome intruder.  
“Kieran!” She cheered, moving to wrap her arms around him. “I was worried you wouldn’t come.” He smiled down at her.  
“Have I ever missed one?” he asked. She shook her head.  
“I guess not…” He reached to gently cup her chin, careful of the still healing skin. “Do you like them?”  
“A work of art worthy of its canvas.” He replied. She smiled up at him, her green eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “I brought you something.” Kieran told her, releasing her chin to reach into his pocket. He pulled out a small rectangular box with a green ribbon wrapped around it and handed it to her. “Happy birthday.” She opened it slowly and gasped. Resting on a velvet cushion was a silver chain with a large emerald pendent.  
“It’s beautiful,” She told him. He beamed and removed it from the box, moving around her to help her put it on. She lifted her hair over her shoulder so that it wouldn’t get in the way and smiled down at the gem that rested just above her breasts. “Thank you.” She whispered in awe.  
“I saw it in a shop in Val Royeaux and it reminded me of you.” She turned to face him again, a pale blush settling on her cheeks.  
“You were thinking of me?” She asked. He nodded.  
“I often do…that is…um…” he stammered, looking away from her. “Maker’s breath…Variel…I…” She pressed her fingers to his mouth gently.  
“I’ve thought of you too.” She whispered softly. “Do you remember our pinkie swear?” He met her eyes, trying to read them before he leaned down, leaving only a whisper of space between them.  
“A life with me will never be normal Variel, mages might not be locked up anymore but…”  
“Kieran, what makes you think I’ve ever wanted ‘normal’?”  
“I’m also a lot older than you…”  
“That doesn’t matter anymore, from today onward.” She reached out to stroke his cheek. “I’ve waited for you…” He gave a soft groan at her touch and surged forward to claim her mouth. She gasped, her eyes widening before slowly sliding closed. Her knees buckled and one of his hands moved to the small of her back, keeping her against him. She gripped the front of his robes, her fingers latching on to him. The rest of the world was just a white blur, sounds were muffled and all that mattered was that he was there. Reluctantly they parted for air and he took a step back, turning away from her. “Don’t run.” She pleaded.  
“You have no idea what getting involved with me means. You don’t know what I really am.”  
“Then show me.” She challenged. “If you think it will change anything, show me what you’re so scared of!”  
“I…”  
“I will not let you hide behind excuses! I will not let you run away from me when it’s obvious you love me just as much as I love you!” He looked over his shoulder at her.  
“You won’t after this.” He told her. “What do you know of archdemons?”  
“They’re the old dragon gods, corrupted by the Darkspawn.”  
“And when one is slain by a Grey Warden, that Warden is supposed to die.”  
“But Queen Erica’s fine.” Variel’s brows knitted.  
“You can’t speak of this to anyone, but there is a ritual…if on the eve of battle the child of a Warden is conceived…it can absorb the soul of the archdemon and survive. That’s…that’s what I am.” Variel blinked and took a step back. “I warned you…”  
“You idiot!” She snapped. He turned to her, confused. She pounced, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him breathless. “You thought that would scare me away?”  
“B…b…but…I’m a monster….”  
“My father’s an assassin.” She argued. “I’ve watched him kill people, I’ve killed people, you…” She shook her head. “I love you.”  
“How can you?” She pressed her forehead against his cheek and sighed.  
“If a monster chooses not to act like a monster is it still a monster? Blood is not as binding as you seem to think.” She told him. He closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around her.  
“I love you.” He whispered against her skin. Her lips twitched.  
“Told you.”


End file.
